Crutches are used by millions of people each year recovering from lower-limb ailments such as broken bones, knee injuries and sprained ankles. One of the most common crutches in use today is some variation of that shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. This crutch 2 has a saddle 4 generally covered by a foam rubber pad, which is hot, sticky and causes under-arm skin abrasion. The crutch has a narrow transverse handle 6 that puts undo strain on the wrist by forcing it into a collapsed position. The crutch handle is a narrow tube disposed horizontally in a narrow opening and this creates soreness in the hand and wrist. The crutch foot 8 generally widens at the bottom and so catches under doors and ledges, making use more difficult. When used, the crutches angle out from the user, creating a wide stance that makes it more difficult to move through confined spaces such as crowds, doorways or hallways, as illustrated in FIG. 2. This crutch typically has a low degree of adjustability, which requires many sizes to be stocked to accommodate the variety of sizes found in the population. For example, typical crutches come in three sizes, fitting individuals with heights of 6′6″-5′10″, 5′9″ to 5′1″ and 5′ 2″ to 4′6″.
There is thus a continuing need for new and improved crutch designs.